REVIEW: LIS ADDISON - Songs from the Mara

LIS ADDISON
Songs from the Mara

On some of Lis Addison’s previous album reviews, I often extolled the amazing vocal talent she possesses. For example, in 2010, I reviewed her album The Grace of the Green Leaf and wrote “The more I listened to Lis Addison's The Grace of the Green Leaf, the more I couldn't decide what I was more impressed with - her wonderfully sensual vocals or her amazing talent on beats and keyboards,” and in 2013 I reviewed Crown In The Sky of which I opined “Crown In The Sky once again features Addison's sultry and earthy vocals…” In fact, as a testament to her vocal talents, Lis won Best Vocal Album in 2010 from Zone Music Reporter for The Grace of the Green Leaf. An award she well deserved in my opinion.

Because of the past emphasis on her beautiful voice and the accolades it brought her, I was surprised that on her newest album, Songs from the Mara, Addison’s vocals actually takes a back seat to her astonishing talent for creating soothing keyboard and electronic soundscapes which she then melds with expertly recorded (by her) African nature and environmental sounds. The result is a truly immersive listening experience, the perfect blending of music and natural sounds that is almost certain to transport the listener to the Maasai Mara in Kenya. On her way to Kitui, Kenya to plant trees with her Singing Tree Institute non-profit, Lis stopped at the Maasai Mara. In both places she recorded the sounds of nature that serenaded her. These sounds inspired Songs from the Mara and were incorporated into the music.

The album opener, “Sunrise on the Mara,” begins with a serenade of songbirds greeting the new day while a warm, flowing piano melody joins in as well as assorted keyboard textures and embellishments – just gorgeous. A gentle bell tone rhythm comes into play along with Addison’s wordless vocals adding another level of beauty. Next up, “Sunset on the Mara,” has singing bowls accompanying birdsong and running water along with a repeating harp-like melody and Addison’s vocals (again wordless). As the song develops, more layers of keyboards and some shaker percussions are folded in. The haunting serenity of the song fills the air like softly scented incense. By this point, one can’t help but be impressed with all the assorted musical elements that Addison is utilizing to craft such wondrous soundscapes, not to mention the deftness with which she mixes in nature and environmental sounds. I had forgotten (from previous reviews of her music I had written) how talented she was at the dizzying assortment of keyboard sounds she has available at her home studio.

"Kitui Rain” features a slight bubbly effervescent mood via an ambient-esque synthesizer lead melody as well as a plaintive secondary orchestral string melody that develops later in the track, accompanied by bell tones. As the track ends, crickets and frogs join in to bring the song to a blissful conclusion. While I frequently concentrated my praise on Addison’s vocals on her earlier releases, on Songs from the Mara she allows her proficiency on keyboards and composing to come to the forefront. In fact, with those talents on prominent display, Lis Addison deserves a place among the best in the electronic keyboard genres of New Age and ambient music.

Two more fantastic songs (“Elephants on the Mara,” and “Lioness and Three Cubs”) lead into the concluding number, the 10-minute “Dream of the Mara” which takes the listener into even deeper ambient and, appropriately, dreamy territory. The sounds of flowing water and other nature elements waft over layers of lush keyboards, joined later by vibrant birdsong, and a tamboura drone joins in with the other sounds. A chorus of frogs (a rather large chorus it sounds like!) contributes their “voices” to the mix. Later, a percolating acoustic percussion beat emerges, injecting the sonic proceedings with a heartbeat like pulse. As the song winds down, some crickets decide to get in on the fun as well. All this time, the underlying ambient music soundscape flows uninterrupted, slowly fading amongst the reverberations from a singing bowl.

What can I say other than I am ultra-impressed with Songs from the Mara. Lis Addison has outdone herself, which is a bold statement based on her previous work. My praise for the album is in no way a diminishing statement about her usual fantastic singing and vocals, but instead, Songs from the Mara

clearly shows how broad and deep her many musical talents are. This is as essential an album as I have heard in years.

REVIEW: DAN KENNEDY - An Enchated Noel

DAN KENNEDY
An Enchanted Noel

Dan Kennedy’s solo piano holiday collection An Enchanted Noël is just the ticket for family gatherings, as it accentuates both the joy, fun, and celebratory nature of Christmas, as well as it’s more spiritual element. Some of the twelve selections (ten traditional carols and two originals) tone things down, while others are on the festive end of the scale.

“Angels We Have Heard On High,” which opens the album, illustrates my point. An at-times rousing rendition of the carol, Kennedy also injects some mild jazziness at times, which replaces the usual heavier gravitas of the song with some (much-needed, in my opinion), well, fun! “In the Bleak Midwinter,” however, gets the appropriate level of flowing somberness, and here Kennedy shows off his control of nuance and gentleness of tone/mood. It’s a terrific arrangement. “Carol of the Bells,” which I have heard on too many to count versions, marries both dark and light, the arrangement injecting some unexpected twists and turns, which add depth and a more pronounced feeling of emotion. His first of two originals follows. “For Those Not Here,” and, as might be inferred by its title, it’s a subdued piece that nonetheless has an air of peace and, later in the song, even hopefulness. For me, it fits in nicely with the abundance of holiday classics. One of favorite tracks, Kennedy’s take on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” evokes a gentle nostalgia, and again, he displays uncommon deftness on the ivories.

In the middle of the album sits a 6+ minute medley of traditional carols, and Kennedy handles the transitions between each one with ease, as if the individual selections were meant to be strung together (like Christmas tree lights!). Later, “Sussex Carol” gets a subtle jump-boogie treatment and, yes, it works and works marvelously (to my ears at least). After one more carol and the second original, Kennedy closes with a perfect ending, Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” His arrangement is restrained, but still sincerely evocative of the beauty of the season (both internally and externally).  To be honest, you can’t go wrong with that Christmas-time staple, and Kennedy does justice to it, and then some.

One of the hallmarks of a great album, holiday or otherwise, is that as the last songs ends, the listener wishes there were more still to come. That’s how I felt at the end of An Enchanted Noël. Highly recommended, so download and/or stream it tonight and tomorrow.

 CREDITS
All music performed by Dan Kennedy
All songs traditional/public domain except “For Those Not Here” and “Of Snow and Stars.”
Album produced by Dan Kennedy
Mixing and Mastering by Bill Aheam.
Recorded at Tapeworks, Hartford, CT

 

 

REVIEW: CATHERINE MARIE CHARLTON - Simple Gifts: Solo Piano for the Holidays

CATHERINE MARIE CHARLTON
Simple Gifts: Solo Piano for the Holidays

 

Catherine Marie Charlton is not your “typical” solo pianist in the new age (or other associated genres), if there is such a thing. Her discography is segmented (on her website) into the following categories: jazz, ambient, classical crossover, relaxation, and solo piano. I have reviewed many of her releases and have always come away impressed with her unique approach to composing, improvising, and technical mastery of the instrument itself. Now, after a ten-year absence from releasing a solo album (her last collaboration with someone else was five years ago), Catherine Marie returns with a splendid, yet a true archetypical release (for her) holiday music collection, Simple Gifts (subtitle – Solo Piano for the Holidays). Before going into any detail, basically, if you have enjoyed her solo albums over the years, you will love this.

 

The relatively short recording features nine tracks: seven traditional carols, one holiday staple, and a twist selection, which is emblematic of Catherine Marie’s unique taste. Overall, the album is quiet, introspective, and subdued, with only a one or two brief forays into drama (most notably in her version of the “Ukrainian Bell Carol”). As a result, I’d imagine that this is a great late-night listen, when kids are all snuggled in the beds with those sugarplums prancing in the dreams. Because this is a reflective and quiet album, it requires a particularly skilled production team. Charlton herself produced it and she also lists herself as “Recording Engineer.” She does a flawless job. Mastering was handled by Phil Nicolo who perfectly captures the warmth and intimacy of Catherine Marie’s deft performance.

 

The first two tracks perfectly convey the special nature of Simple Gifts, i.e., songs carry enough of their signature melodies that one should easily hear it and say “Oh, that’s ‘Greensleeves.’” However, if one is a purist for whom any straying from the traditional melody of the classics (think Perry Como, Ray Conniff, or Nat King Cole), then be prepared for some imaginative arrangements (to say the least). This is where the more subdued nature of Charlton’s performance is complemented by the superb technical aspects of the recording. Her affinity for both jazz and minimalism is on display on more than a few selections, e.g., her take on the Vince Guaraldi classic “Christmas Time Is Here.”

 

Before closing, the “twist selection” is fitting if you have heard any of Charlton’s jazz albums. The Thelonious Monk bebop jazz standard “‘Round Midnight” drops as the second to last piece and by its very nature, it may seem like an odd choice for a Christmas/Holiday album. But the second time I listened to the album, and absorbed some of the other times jazz riffs which are dropped into a carol (e.g., the aforementioned “Ukrainian Bell Carol” and the middle of “Christmas Time Is Here”), while “‘Round Midnight” may sound out of character, I look at it as being thematic, i.e., the track is a semi-finale to the holiday itself, the end of the day of celebrating. Well, that’s my take on it…grain of salt and all that. 

Simple Gifts heralds a welcome return to solo albums by the incredibly talented pianist and I can only hope we won’t have to wait another ten years for the next one. Glad to have you back, Catherine Marie.

CREDITS

All songs traditional/ public domain except “Christmas Time Is Here” by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelsohn
All piano arrangements by Catherine Marie Charlton
Produced and mixed by Catherine Marie Charlton
Mastered by Phil Nicolo
Art Direction by Catherine Marie Charlton
Artwork and Design by Charles G. Sheely
Catherine Marie Charlton is a Steinway Artist